Dr Serena Gonsalves-Fersch, is the Global Head of Talent for SoftwareOne and the 2024 winner of the Colin Steed Award for Outstanding Contribution to Learning. Serena is a Learning & Development leader and holds a doctorate from Middlesex university on the future of learning & the L&D function in technology accelerating organisations. Her current role includes L&D, Performance Management, Succession Planning, Talent Identification, Workforce Planning, DEIB, and leadership of the SoftwareOne Academy – the organisation’s corporate university. She has a wealth of experience both as a management consultant, and in internal leadership roles, in setting learning strategies, managing talent and career development and predictive learning solutions.